“The initiative to start APAA was a call from the heart.”

“The initiative to start APAA was a call from the heart.”

Our goal is to bring understanding and raise awareness as well as ensure the promotion of the Afghan Archaeological and Cultural Heritage. This goal is realized through its teaching in schools and public venues internationally, including in Afghanistan and in the Afghan and multi-cultural Bay Area community. Our work also consists in promoting and assisting in the education of the international public about the inherent value of archaeological treasures to cultural identity, and to specifically focus on the plight of Afghan people regarding the loss of their cultural heritage.

Through APAA Dr.Tarzi is assisting in educating the younger generations as well as the older ones. This is done by publishing children and scientific books as well as provide education and training programs and tools in Afghanistan to future Archaeologists so they may in turn become self reliant and efficient Professionals of the trowel and skilled restorers. Finally, APAA hopes to inspire future generations in having the incentive to learn about, protect and preserve their unique heritage and further educate themselves and others on the importance and value of archaeological and historical heritages.

APAA news and press releases:

Please come back soon for 2007-2008 updates, thank you!

BERKELEY DAILY PLANET
By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet
January 23 2007
Afghan Archaeologist Discusses Bamiyan Site

Waking the Buddha
David Bosco
Volume 58 Number 1, January/February 2005
read the story from the Archaeology Magazine



read the story from the Dernieres Nouvelles d' Aslace


Back to my Roots, Back to Bamiyan
By Zemaryalai Tarzi
Translated from the French by Nadia Tarzi
September 2004


read the story from afghanmagazine.com

Inside Afghanistan: Buddhas of Bamiyan
Dana King
CBS5 NEWS
Sept 22, 2004
Watch the Video on CBS NEWS

Inside Afghanistan: Millions of Orphans
Dana King
CBS5 NEWS
Sept 21, 2004
read the story on CBS NEWS

Child of Bamiyan' in search of Reclining Buddha wonder
Chandani Jayatilleke
Sept 14, 2004
read the story from Daily NEWS

The hunt for Bamiyan's third Buddha
Friday, 6 September, 2002, 12:18 GMT 13:18 UK
read the story from BBC NEWS

Hunting for the long-lost sleeping Buddha of Bamian In 629 A.D.,
a pilgrim described a 1,000-foot-long statue
Julie M. Bowles
Los Angeles Times
August 31, 2004
read the story here

Hunting for the long-lost sleeping Buddha
Julie M. Bowles
Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, Calif.
Aug 25, 2004.
read the story here

From the President: Double Standard?
Jane C. Waldbaum
Archaeology
Volume 57 Number 3, May/June 2004
read the story here

Afghan cultural expert calls for restoration of historical site
Jane C. Waldbaum
PakTribune
Wednesday April 21, 2004
read the story here

The SAA archaeological record
JANUARY 2004
Volume 4
Number 1
read the story here

Culture: A historical junction
The New Courier No 1
UNESCO
October, 2002
read the story here

  • silkroadfoundation.org
    December 2003 Newsletter publication article titled ” Bamiyan: Professor Tarzi’s Survey and Excavation Archaeological Mission, 2003”
  • saa.org
    Society for American Archaeology, “The Renaissance of Afghan Archaeology” Available April 2004 The SAA Archaeological Record 2004 - volume 4, Number 1, January.
  • archaeological.org
    The Archaeology Institute of America article available March 8, 2004

GOING TO AFGHANISTAN

Professor Tarzi is in Afghanistan in Bamiyan since July 1st. In 2002 Professor Tarzi conducted the first official and legal excavation in Afghanistan in 24 years of war and the first open-air excavation ever in Bamiyan. During the2003 campaign he found the Eastern monastery he was looking for and unearthed seven Buddhist statues of which at least one represented a Buddha confirming the existence of the monastery. This research began in 1967 the actual survey began in the mid and late seventies and was interrupted for 24 years following the Soviet invasion and several civil wars.

Nadia Tarzi APAA vice president will be traveling to Afghanistan with National Geographic Society early August as part of an upcoming documentary on the Archaeological Heritage of Afghanistan to be aired on PBS in early 2005. The team will travel to Bamiyan and meet Professor Tarzi on the excavation site.

This is a perfect opportunity for Afghanistan to let the world see and find out about a unique heritage that so desperately needs protection and restoration.

APAA invites you to join in our pledge of support to the Archaeology Institute in Kabul, the Archaeology Department at the Kabul University and in the long term to schools and the future archaeologists of Afghanistan.

APAA invites you to send much needed donations that will be used to purchase equipment and tools. Please send your Tax Deductible donations before August 5th 2004 at the address at the bottom of this message.

Any donations above $200.00 will put your name on the APAA Special Sponsors List

Dear APAA Friends,

As of May 24, 2004 APAA is a California non-profit organization with the 501c3 status and can accept donations to support its educational, scientific and charitable goals in regards to the Archaeological Heritage of Afghanistan.

Archaeological Institute of America

The AIA held its Annual Meeting in January 2004 in San Francisco.
The intervention by Mr. Abdul Wasey Feroozi, Director General of the National Institute of Archaeology in Afghanistan, Professor David Stronach and Nadia Tarzi APAA Vice President rose awareness on the often times overlooked seriousness of Afghanistan’s loss and need for reconstruction assistance, in this case specifically regarding the Afghan cultural and archeological heritage. While Iraq, righteously so, is receiving a lot of attention regarding its predicament, Afghanistan has yet to see its looted sites secured, its museums rebuilt, its archaeologists equipped and trained and its masterpieces returned and/or protected.

The AIA is not only aware but actively assisting us in raising further awareness. They have therefore compiled Mr. Feroozi’s text from the AIA conference and the description of sites and captions provided by Professor Zemaryalai Tarzi, former Director of Archaeology and Conservation of Historical Monuments of Afghanistan and APAA President, into a one of a kind report on Afghanistan’s Cultural Heritage.

We thank the AIA, its President Jane C. Waldbaum, Phd. and Kevin E. Mullen E-Publishing Manager for their dedication and professionalism.

We also thank Professor David Stronach, AIA 2004 Gold Medal Award recipient for his generous support and scientific expertise.

Nadia Tarzi
APAA, Inc. Vice President

More Information

For a complete Bio and List of Publications please contact our APAA Administration at info@apaa.info